


Opposites attract

by Bloodybamboozlement



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Blood and Injury, Darth Maul Needs a Hug, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fluff and Humor, M/M, Past Abuse, Past Character Death, Slow Burn
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-27
Updated: 2021-03-16
Packaged: 2021-03-19 06:14:32
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 10,261
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29746209
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Bloodybamboozlement/pseuds/Bloodybamboozlement
Summary: After the sudden disappearance of Darth Maul, Obi Wan embarks on a mission to find him and see what criminal activities his nemesis is up to and potentially stop him.Though nothing prepares him for what he witnesses when he finally finds Maul.*Tags will be updated as the story progresses*
Relationships: Obi-Wan Kenobi/Darth Maul
Comments: 6
Kudos: 45





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is my first fanfiction so any constructive criticism and feedback is welcomed.
> 
> Enjoy :)

As soon as he arrives on the planet, where his intel said he’d find his nemesis wrecking quite possibly some unhindered havoc, he hides his presence. One could never be too careful, especially considering his nemesis is a wielder of the dark force. 

Carefully he makes his way towards the towering building, making sure he is not seen.  
The intel provided, stated that he’d find Maul on a rather largely populated planet, living in one of the richer parts in the capital. Obi Wan thinks that without a doubt he’s up to no good, though what exactly he doesn't know. 

He usually tries to avoid thinking about the other man, who escaped all those years ago with a, though not small, still treatable wound to the abdomen. Obi Wan’s rage had blinded him and together with the worry and fear for his master’s prone form, he had missed and only scraped their assaulter. Though that was enough to surprise Darth Maul and unbalance him. The at the time young padawan could only watch startled in his own surprise as the usual graceful, swift and nearly dancing movements of the zabrak turned hasty and clumsy as he stumbled back and tried to regain his balance, but to no avail.  
Obi Wan had pushed the Sith towards the seemingly endless disposal shaft without him realising. 

He will never forget the expression on the red and black face morphing from pained confusion, to resigned realization. But the golden eyes never lost the fight and determinedness, locking on to Kenobi's eyes with a fiery burning rage until he had fallen out of sight into the dark depths. Obi Wan shudders at the memory.

He hadn’t heard anything from the Sith until years later when he sent a message to the temple.  
When Obi Wan saw him, he felt anger, grief and a very small, nearly unnoticeable amount of fear. Though he refused to acknowledge it and discarded the feeling.

After Darth Maul’s reappearance they had their fair share of encounters throughout the years. They had always ended up facing each other and fighting, with one of them always able to flee. Obi Wan wouldn’t admit it, but he somehow, sometime during their fights started to, not really enjoy the confrontations, that’d be a huge overstatement, but he stopped feeling the burning anger towards his foe. 

A few months ago however Maul’s presence completely disappeared. Nobody knew of his whereabouts, much less if he was alive.  
But Obi Wan was certain that he still lived. Nobody had boasted about killing one of the mightiest and most feared beings in the galaxy, and he was fairly sure that the only ones capable of such a deed, were the bigger organisations and gangs who would use a murder like that to instill fear or hope into the people flaunting their strength. 

But nothing like that had occurred and Obi Wan wouldn't say he was worried, no, it was more curiosity and wariness. Because if Maul had truly been killed, then the murderer would have to be strong and skilled enough to pose a worrying threat. 

So here he is, investigating. Luckily he had acquired some information which stated that Maul was alive and kicking. Finding out who exactly he was kicking was the self-assigned mission Kenobi had sent himself on, with begrudging acceptance of the Jedi council. He isn’t called “The negotiator” for nothing.

He sneaks along walls and into the targeted building, avoiding cameras and residents with practiced ease. If Maul actually lives here, then he is hiding his force signature well. After he slips through some more hallways he is finally standing in front of the door. It is an anticlimactic experience by how plain and common the door looks, positively mocking him. 

He stands indecisive and contemplates what the best next move is. Should he simply knock? Or maybe climb in through the window? He could just simply barge in or the opposite, sneak quietly inside. In the end he decides to simply knock. He isn’t sure if he will regret it but now it’s too late as he is already knocking. 

He waits expectantly. After nothing happens for a few moments he is about to try again, when the door is swung open and before he can react he is hauled inside by the collar of his robes. If he wasn’t too busy coming up with plans of what the best course of action would be and being embarrassed by having been ambushed so easily, he would be quite impressed by the swiftness and ease of the attack. 

His pondering is abruptly interrupted by an angry snarl and sharp fangs in way too close proximity of his face. He grimaces and tries to get hold of his lightsaber but can’t seem to sense it anywhere nearby. He groans internally already awaiting what is to happen next.

“Kenobi! What a pleasant surprise!”, Maul instantly hisses, a hint of dangerous sarcasm in his voice and a wild furious glint in his golden glowing eyes.

Before Obi Wan can reply with a sarcastic retort the Sith carries on. “How did you find me? Choose your words wisely.” he growls warningly. 

To Obi Wan’s dismay, a lightsaber materialized in Maul’s hand, held threateningly close to Obi Wan’s throat. 

He swallows and decides to go with the truth, not sure if he could get away with a lie safely.  
”I obtained intel from one of my informants about your location.”

The Jedi glances warily up at Maul to see if his answer is accepted. The zabrak in question narrows his eyes and observes Obi Wan’s face. The latter can’t help but squirm uncomfortably under the former's hard gaze.

“Why would you wish to know my whereabouts? Have you finally come to kill me, Kenobi?”, he spits the name with disgust. Looming menacingly over Kenobi’s half-sitting form, pressed to the wall, waiting expectantly for an explanation.

“N-no, I-”, he pauses. He has no idea how to answer, because truly, why did he come here? Because his nemesis suddenly disappeared and he firmly believed that he wasn’t dead and tried to prove it. That sounds a little too much as if he cares so he decides on an almost true alternative.  
He averts his gaze, hesitant of what Maul’s reaction will be, brazing for the worst.  
“I don’t know.”

Maul raises his eyebrows condemningly and is about to vocalize his dissatisfaction with that answer, or more the lack thereof when a small whimper is suddenly heard.

Obi Wan freezes, bewilderment evident in his face. He blinks, narrows his eyes and although the position he is in isn’t too advantageous he asks with sudden outrage:  
”What was that? Don’t tell me you are holding someone hostage?! That sounded like a child!” 

The Sith glares at him but his attention is diverted towards the pitiable sounds. He sighs resigned and with precise movements he makes sure that the Jedi won’t be able to escape or attack, tying him to a nearby chair. He then vanishes into the small hallway of the compact apartment towards the noises.

Obi Wan tries to hear what is happening in the other room. He fears what the man would do to a child and strains his ears. He can make out soft hushed murmurs. Then there is suddenly a small delighted giggle. Obi Wan raises a perplexed brow. He is rather certain that the one laughing can’t be Maul, the voice is too high pitched. Which would mean that the other person, the child which the Sith was talking to is the one laughing. Which means that Maul made someone laugh. Though Kenobi couldn’t come up with any scenario where Maul could make anyone laugh, much less a child. He furrows his brows, completely thrown off by this situation. 

Maul returns with purposeful strides, a bundle of something in his arms. He notices Obi Wan’s curious stare and immediately snaps at Kenobi: “Don’t even consider taking advantage of my situation.”

The bundle in his arms squirms abruptly and Maul casts a warning glance at Kenobi before peeking at the small being in his arms. His eyes soften a little as he regards the infant. He whispers some hushed words and when the little one giggles Obi Wan can see a shadow of a smile on the usually stone faced man’s face.

The Jedi observes the display in front of him with a little awe.The situation is so unusual that it almost feels unreal.  
In a flash however the tranquility is gone and Maul’s face regains its harsh edges.

“Due to you not being able to explain your purpose here and apparently finding my hideout without any motive, I shall inform you, that now I have to leave this place and seek another location. Thanks to you, we’ll have to move from our home where we lived for the past few months and find a new place to hide in.”, he mutters angrily. 

Obi Wan gulps and before he can stop himself he offers with a concerning amount of desperation: “No! Wait! You- you don’t have to...leave.”  
He falters under the zabraks scrutinizing gaze. 

“Yes we do. Goodbye Kenobi.”, without further comment he turns around with the infant in his arms, grabbing a backpack filled with presumably rations and money, snatching his black cloak and lightsaber and disappears through the door leaving Obi Wan to fend for himself.

The man waits a few moments, somehow expecting the Sith to suddenly jump him and reveal that it was all an act, a trap. But no such thing happens and Obi Wan starts to try to free himself. With a little effort he is able to free his hands and feet after a while. 

He stands up and looks around, searching for any possible traps. After making sure that everything is safe he makes his way back to his ship, to return to coruscant. Resigned, he can already hear the jedi council’s disapproving and unsatisfied voices and the I-told-you-so’s.

“Oh joy”, he mutters somewhat exhausted. “Home sweet home.”


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In this chapter we'll find out what's up with the child and a little tiny bit of backstory, but not much.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter!  
> As I know myself the chapters will be updated a tad irregular, but I'll try to at least once a week.
> 
> Constructive criticism and feedback is welcomed.
> 
> Enjoy :)

No matter how much he tries, Obi Wan can’t seem to stop thinking about what he saw on his self-assigned mission. Even as the council scolds and admonishes him for his positively dumb behaviour his mind is elsewhere. He keeps replaying what transpired in front of him over and over again with abnormal fascination; the way Maul’s eyes softened as he regarded the small being in his arms and the hint of a smile that crossed his face.  
It nearly seemed peaceful, as if he wasn’t a Sith Lord, as if there was no war, just a father watching his newborn child. 

As soon as that thought crosses Obi Wan’s mind he buries it immediately, because thinking of the zabrak as anything but a cold-blooded Sith Lord just doesn’t seem to fit. Especially the idea of him being a father, caring for someone other than himself bothers Obi Wan more than he is willing to admit. He furrows his brows. What if the infant is actually the other man’s kid? That would imply that the man has a family. A child and presumably a wife or a lover, though there were no traces of any female in that apartment; no items, smells or anything else indicating there was someone else with them.

He can only guess what that means, the truth of it insinuating that the woman either is dead or left them, making the Sith a single father of a newborn nonetheless. The Jedi feels a twinge of sympathy towards his nemesis. He is vaguely aware of what the life of the tattooed man had been like. Difficult is a fitting word,though maybe not the most accurate, possibly even an understatement. The probable loss of his partner and the upbringing of a son as a wanted, feared and powerful man amidst the war makes Obi Wan see Maul in a slightly different light. He feels a newfound respect along with a mix of concern and pity.

A few weeks after coming back, Kenobi is sent to lead and aid in a recent battle on a planet that until now wasn’t too much involved in the war. The Separatists apparently decided that the planet possessed something crucial and after them refusing to join, promptly declared war.  
As soon as they arrive Obi Wan assesses the situation and starts barking orders to his men, before joining them on the battlefield, wielding and slicing his lightsaber through opposing droids and deflecting blaster shots.  
The Separatists didn’t expect the Republic to react as fast as they did and the enemy forces were quickly pushed back. 

A thin layer of sweat assembles on Obi Wan’s forehead as he battles the remaining forces. He relents that a little more sparring with Anakin hopefully brings him back to his usual top form. 

Out of the corner of his eye he catches a glint of red and black. He nearly disregards it, but a sudden thought makes him whip his head towards the direction of the colour flash. Indeed he saw right. The familiar figure moves with distinct grace wielding a double bladed lightsaber with such facility that it for a moment mesmerizes the Jedi. The moment is ended though as the zabrak briskly cuts his opponents down in such cold blood that Obi Wan shivers. Lethal beauty.

Suddenly Maul fixes him with a bloodthirsty look before realising who is watching him. His face contorts into an annoyed expression and the murderous air around him decreases a little. His posture relaxes and Obi Wan doesn’t know if he should take offense or be flattered. In the end he doesn’t get to decide, as Maul marches over to him, stopping as soon as he is in striking range.

“Kenobi”, he mocks, “it seems we meet again.” 

Obi Wan notices that there’s something different about the man. Something has changed since their last encounter. The air around the other, though still possessing the usual wild chaos of hatred and anger also possesses a small flavour of sadness or loneliness, Obi Wan isn't completely sure. He tries to glance over the other inconspicuously, trying to figure out what’s wrong. He doesn’t find anything though which just frustrates him.

“So it indeed seems, my dear nemesis”, he answers with provocation lacing his voice.

To his surprise and slight disappointment the Sith doesn’t take the bait to banter as they had grown used to. Instead he narrows his eyes and glowers at Kenobi with such intense hatred which the other until now has never experienced from him. He isn't sure if the hatred is directed towards him or maybe perhaps towards the Sith himself. He can feel the dread slowly creeping up his soul. 

“What happened to you?”, he calls with uncertainty.

“It’s none of your force-damn concern!”, the zabrak snaps at him not unexpectedly and bares his fangs.

A realisation hits Obi Wan and his heart sinks.

“Where is your child?”, he asks carefully somehow for unknown reasons fearing the answer.

Maul tilts his head, confusion colouring his anger.  
“My chi- what?”, he asks, baffled before sudden clarity makes itself evident in his eyes and he once again glares at Kenobi.

“He is in a safe location. Keep your distance from him or I promise I will stop playing around and murder you the instant you get too close!”, he threatens with a low growl, his eyes shining protectively along with a hint of- Obi Wan isn’t sure if he sees right- grief.

The answer unsettles Kenobi, especially the prospect of his nemesis merely playing with him. He decides to think about that later and focuses instead on the other’s slip up.

“Whose child is he? Surely you haven’t stooped low enough to kidnap helpless infants from their families?”, he retorts smugly.

Maul bristles visibly and Kenobi can’t help but smirk a little.  
For a moment the other seems to contemplate something until he raises his head again and after briefly regarding Kenobi he answers.

“If I tell you, will you vow that you’ll leave us both alone?”

Without really thinking about it he nods. “I swear.”

Maul appears satisfied.

“He is Savage’s boy, my nephew. I promised to look after him for a while until my brother and his mate returned. Though since two weeks ago his parents are both no more.” he explains stoic, his voice carefully neutral betraying nothing. The only indication how he truly feels are his eyes, grief clearly shining in them.

The answer hits Obi Wan unexpectedly. “Oh”, he breathes stricken on behalf of the others’ internal pain. “I see. I’m- I’m sorry.” 

Maul glares at Kenobi. “I don’t need your disgusting pity. If you don't like the answer, you shouldn’t have asked!” he hisses angrily.

Obi Wan ignores him and tries to lead the conversation somewhere else instead, the battle around them completely forgotten.

“Well shouldn’t you be with the little one instead of fighting here recklessly? What if you got injured, or worse died?”he asks, somewhat incredulous and accusing.

“I never planned to fight, but I had no choice. The separatists destroyed the building we lived in and we had to flee. I had found a relatively safe place and returned here trying to quickly gather some necessities, but on my way back I was forced to defend myself.”, he states annoyed.

That makes sense. 

“Do you need any help perhaps?”, Obi Wan asks before realising what he had said. He should really stop talking before thinking. 

Maul looks at him with a mix of exasperated suspicion and annoyance.  
Obi Wan could kick himself for that slip up. Thanks to that his nemesis now deems him a naive dumbass.

“General Kenobi! We have won!”, someone calls and Obi Wan automatically turns his head searching for the source of that voice.

He remembers though who he was talking to a few seconds ago, and although it doesn’t feel as if the other would kill him currently, he isn’t willing to take the risk. 

However in the split second where his attention was elsewhere Maul had used the distraction to vanish. Obi Wan sighs feeling frustrated and a little disappointed. Nevertheless he turns back towards Cody and after a quick briefing he orders to set the route towards Coruscant with another victory under their belt.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is a little longer than usual, but I hope you enjoy it!
> 
> Comments, Feedback and Constructive Criticism are welcome.

For the next month Obi Wan doesn’t hear or see anything regarding Maul.  
He thinks it is for the better. The other had thoroughly messed with Obi Wan’s thoughts and beliefs.  
The Jedi stretches. He’s been on this ship for a while now, traveling from planet to planet negotiating, debating and reassuring, occasionally defending the various members and soon-to-be members of the growing Republic. Things are looking good, have been looking good for a while now. From time to time there are minor setbacks, but they are usually easily dissolved and hardly noticeable in the grand scheme of things.  
He departed a little while ago from another planet, that he successfully convinced to join the Republic. It had been taxing, but he did it.

Obi Wan sets the coordinates and switches to auto-pilot, yawning tiredly. He lies down on the little bunk bed on the rather compact ship. It isn’t as comfortable as the bed in his quarters on Coruscant, but it’s what he has gotten used to in the past weeks. 

The man sighs with as much content as he allows himself to feel and closes his eyes, hoping for blissful sleep to overtake his fatigued mind and body. Force knows he needs the rest, but no such thing happens. The Jedi tries to find a comfortable position, tossing and turning for long moments until he gives up with an annoyed huff. He decides, that since he has nothing better to do, he’ll sort his disheveled thoughts, hopefully achieving the much needed balance a Jedi requires.

He starts strategically going from the easier ones to the challenging ones. Soon he finds himself in a trance-like state. To his own surprise, he finds that his nemesis is quite far up on the list, easily one of the more demanding distractions and mysteries interfering with his balance.

He ponders a bit, arguing that he should think about the other with a rested, rational mind. Taken aback he realises that he is stalling. What is the difference between this disturbance and the others? He should just get it over with and go to bed with a calm and free head.

He steels himself and let’s all the feelings, thoughts and impressions flow into his mind, concentrating on the other man. They muddle his head, swirling chaotically and unrestrained around. Everything he hadn’t allowed himself to acknowledge is now clearly on the surface, daring him to once again deny it. All the fear, sympathy, respect and anger bluntly making itself known. 

Obi Wan takes a careful breath. He shouldn’t feel like this. Maul is his enemy, always has been. A healthy amount of respect is still acceptable, stopping him from underestimating his foe, but the sympathy could become a fatal weakness. First of all Maul would be furious, if he ever finds out, Obi Wan is sure. But as soon as the other would regain his composure, he would use it to his advantage, no doubt. He grimaces. It’s not going to be easy to get rid of the sympathy. He has witnessed a lot of the others’ failures and victories and knows just how much the zabrak suffers. 

After an even battle, where both of them ended up lying on the hard ground amidst debris and smoke, panting and wounded, but not fatally, a rare truce had occurred. Obi Wan learned that day how pain was a constant companion of the Sith, both physically and mentally. He would never forget the instant regret in the yellow eyes, as soon as the words had left red and black lips. The Sith had hurriedly adapted a neutral expression, gotten up through sheer force of will and limped away towards a forest where he supposedly had hidden his ship. Obi Wan had been too stunned to say anything, observing confused from his position on the ground Maul’s hurried departure. That’s when the first spark of intrigued sympathy appeared, stubbornly refusing to leave and only growing every time they clashed.

Obi Wan’s head starts throbbing and he decides that that is enough for now. He lies down on the bed, relieved when he can feel the familiar weight of sleep dragging him away from consciousness. 

After finally getting a decent amount of sleep, Obi Wan steers the ship towards the last planet on his list. He had been there a few times before and is confident that he’ll be on his way back home to Coruscant in a matter of hours. He isn’t too keen to be on that planet for a longer amount of time anyway, as it continuously rains. The climate is relatively cold, but not enough to warrant the need of a coat.

As soon as he lands he heads to the planets’ current leader to persuade him and his advisers to join the Republic. As expected it only takes him a few promises and reassurances and they readily agree to join. It had started to rain violently and they agreed to discuss the details on the next day.

Obi Wan runs cursing through the seemingly endless downpour towards the city. The council’s location is outside of the city, though why Obi Wan will never understand. To reach the city he has to run through a small forest that possesses a lot of caves and valleys. Obi Wan swears again, louder and decides to just find a cave, the rain starting to get so dense that he can barely see where he is going. The Jedi sighs relieved when the rain briefly gets lighter and he is able to spot promising-looking caves. However the joy doesn’t last long as the downpour returns even stronger. He sets out in a sprint in the direction of the caves, hoping that there aren’t any sudden branches. He stops dead in his tracks when he catches a flicker of red light somewhere to his right. The rain is so dense now that it acts as a wall and he isn’t sure if he saw right. He decides to investigate, sensing another force user.

It’s evening now and the darkness creeps closer, the weather managing to make it darker than usual at this time of day. The trees form annoying obstacles with their branches and roots and Obi Wan nearly stumbles when he sees it again, now clearer. The unmistakable red glow of a lightsaber. Cautiously he hides his presence as best as he can and stalks as close as he dares, trying to get a visual of what’s going on. He hadn’t expected to encounter any dark force users on this planet. It doesn’t make any sense. The planet is peaceful, nearly possessing nothing that the Sith can consider valuable.

Then he catches a glimpse of red again. He ducks his head, crawls closer and squints. He nearly laughs. Down in a shallow valley there’s none other than his nemesis Darth Maul, the very man who has been haunting his mind for the past few weeks. He is fighting an armed group, probably one of the few gangs on this planet. He observes the fight. Maul is, unsurprisingly, holding his own. Obi Wan furrows his brow. There is something wrong, but he can’t pinpoint what, yet.

The movements of the zabrak seem in terms of his usual style, clumsy, sluggish. His blows lack their usual lethal power and fatal precision. Then Obi Wan spots the blood dripping from the tunic and notices the painful limp. The fight is stretching too long, the zabrak should have beaten them easily as they are the usual low thugs lacking any skill in fighting. In spite of Maul’s obvious injuries he seems to be doing fine, Obi Wan thinks. An incorrect thought, as suddenly one of the thugs gets a lucky hit in and the zabrak goes down, but not before killing the not-so-lucky-anymore thug ruthlessly.

Obi Wan jumps to his feet and on instinct places himself between Maul’s prone form and the few remaining attackers. He scares them easily away, as they all are worn out and wounded, if not dead. They scurry away hurriedly. Relieved that he didn’t have to kill pointlessly he lowers his own lightsaber, turns it off and tugs it into his drenched pocket. The rain is still pouring as strong as ever and Obi Wan shudders. He turns around and kneels at his nemesis’ side, hands hovering above his body, close but not quite touching. 

There is no reaction to his close presence, no sarcastic comment or provoking statement, not even a flinch. Dread along with fear drip into his mind. Carefully he rolls the other on his back, not wanting to jostle any sustained injuries. Maul’s eyes are closed, his face unnaturally still. Relieved he discovers that he’s still breathing.

“Maul?”, Obi Wan whispers.

No answer. He decides to check for injuries. Startled, he takes note of the pool of blood forming like a sick halo around Maul’s body. This can’t be good. He finds a gaping wound across his chest. Obi Wan nearly gags. He is overwhelmed. Healing had never been his strong suit, but it’s his only shot to keep the zabrak alive. He concentrates, and while he does his best to at least close the wound enough to stop the bleeding, he wonders why he even bothers to save this man. But then he decides that Maul deserves a death better than this. It would be a shame if he died because of some low thugs.

A memory crosses his thoughts. A quiet giggle. Soft yellow eyes. A faint smile, so misplaced, but at the same time so unexpectedly fitting. Maul carefully, affectionately cradling the child of his at the time not yet deceased brother in his arms.

Suddenly Obi Wan’s arm is grabbed with bruising force and his heart stops for a moment. Maul is looking at him, his face scrunched up in pain. In his eyes there is fear and he looks at the Jedi with an urgency of life and death. Maul opens his mouth and at first there escapes no sound but then he stutters in a pained whisper:

“F-...f-feral...”

As soon as the words leave his mouth his eyes roll back and he’s once again unconscious.  
Obi Wan releases a breath he didn’t know he was holding as the grip around his arm loosens and the hand falls limply to the floor with a soft thud. He doesn’t know what Maul meant and even though it seemed important to him he chooses to focus on healing him first.

As soon as the wound looks stable enough that it won’t open at the smallest of movements he contemplates on how to transport the zabrak to a cave until the rain stops. Dejected he reaches the conclusion that the only possible way of carrying him would be bridal style, the other possibilities too likely to jostle the wound too much. That’s how he finds himself with an admittably heavy zabrak secured in his arms making his way towards the caves he saw before he noticed the fight. He puts Maul down carefully and finds some dry wood inside the cave, with which he starts a fire.

When the fire is burning and emitting a satisfying amount of heat he sits down and leans his back against the cave’s wall. He closes his eyes and debates the risks of a quick nap when he once again feels a force presence, though a small one. Obi Wan jerks his eyes open and watches the entrance of the cave, not bothering to stand up. The presence is too small to pose any real threat.

His suspicions are confirmed when a tiny horned head peaks into the cave. Teary, frightened eyes lock with Obi Wan’s. After a while the small zabrak looks away and his eyes instantly land on the other zabrak. They widen and with a startling sob the toddler runs clumsily over towards Maul’s unconscious form.

“Father!”, he cries and hides his face in Maul’s shoulder.

Obi Wan’s eyebrows raise themselves involuntarily and his eyes widen comically. 

His heart breaks a little and a lump forms in his throat at the positively heart-wrenching scene in front of him.

'Father'?

Had Maul been lying about the child being his brother's? Did he try to protect him that way, to hide the existence of his own son?

Obi Wan feels like crying.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> In the next chapter I'm gonna reveal whose kid the little one is and maybe try to add some feels. Stay tuned :)


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Obi Wan realizes a lot of things.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's another chapter. 
> 
> Comments, feedback and constructive criticism are welcome!
> 
> Enjoy! :)

Maul sleeps through the night and then the entire next day, not showing any kind of indication of waking up anytime soon.  
Obi Wan had as soon as the rain turned into a light drizzle, carried the zabrak to his ship and placed him on the rather uncomfortable bed, but not before gathering as many blankets and cloaks, to make it at least a little comfortable and changing the zabrak out of his drenched clothes. To his embarrassment a blush had crept up onto his cheeks, as he undressed the other carefully. Luckily there were no witnesses besides the child that had fallen asleep on an abandoned cloak on the floor. Then he had found all of the medical supplies and put on some bacta patches, before bandaging Maul’s wound.  
After he’s done treating his nemesis as best as his abilities allow, he sinks down and sighs. Obi Wan had noticed that the wound was an older one. Maul had sustained it some time before facing the gang. One of them must have opened it again. Obi Wan feels an angry twinge towards the gang, but catches himself shocked. He shakes his head confused. Tomorrow after getting some rest, he is sure that he will be back to normal. Well, as normal as this can get with an injured and sleeping nemesis and the said nemesis’ child.

His gaze wanders to the child. Obi Wan remembers Maul mentioning ‘Feral’ before losing the fight to stay awake. Then that is probably the little boy's name, as it’s the first time he had heard that name from Maul.

Feral is sleeping peacefully curled up on the ground and halfway buried in the cloak. Now that both zabraks are sleeping and their faces are relatively relaxed, Obi Wan can definitely see the similarities. The similar face structure and features and horn pattern. It’s quite transfixing. The only big difference is their skin colour. Maul’s is an eye-catching red, a rarity even among zabraks, whereas Feral is a peachy orange yellow. Their marks are different too. Feral’s are a dark brown while Maul’s are, as far as Obi Wan can see, pretty much black.

His gaze drifts towards the Sith. Obi Wan observes the soft rise and fall of his bandaged, but else naked chest. His eyes start to automatically trace the tattoos. They are mesmerizing Obi Wan and something stirs in his chest. His gaze goes back to the man’s face. It’s strange to Obi Wan to see Maul so relaxed, so open and nearly vulnerable without the usual frown or glare. But the Jedi knows better than to make any suspicious movements. He studies the other for another while, noticing the even, symmetrical features. Kenobi thinks that if Maul drops the frown, he would be considered quite the handsome man, along with the visibly well trained body…. He can feel his cheeks getting hot and abruptly stops that train of thought. The traitorous thing from before twinges again in his chest, this time stronger and it reminds Obi Wan of a weird kind of nostalgia. Why he feels nostalgic though in this context, he doesn't understand. 

He must have fallen asleep, he thinks, groaning at his stiff neck and back. He blinks the sleep out of his eyes and automatically checks on his patient…...who’s already directly staring at him with intense yellow eyes. Obi Wan jumps and he swears his heart just stopped for a second.

“Mornin’”, he yawns cheerily after a moment. “How are you feeling?”

Maul doesn’t reply and continues staring, something Obi Wan can’t name in his glowing eyes.

“Uhm… is something wrong?”, Obi Wan asks carefully, uncertain.

That seems to shake the Sith out of his little trance and he looks away.

“No. I’m fine. Your assistance was unnecessary, but I respect that you didn’t end me and my boy when you had the chance.”, he mutters quietly as to not wake the boy that apparently crawled up to Maul during the night and now lay sprawled on the older zabrak’s bandaged chest.

That must be at least a little painful, Obi Wan muses, but Maul’s movements betray nothing.

“To be frank it’s quite naive. I could have killed you in your sleep just now.”, the horned man adds as an afterthought. 

The Jedi smiles.

“But you didn’t.”

Maul narrows his eyes. He frowns, but a yawn disrupts the remark he was about to say. The glare only looks half hearted and Obi Wan does his best not to laugh.

“Sleep. I vow to you that I’m not going to harm a wounded man, much less a man with a child.”

The Sith seems to squint at him suspiciously, but then decides to trust him for now, too tired to really complain. He closes his eyes and is asleep in an instant. The injuries and survival and care of a toddler have taken their toll on the zabrak. The man seemed so exhausted when he fought those thugs.

Once again Obi Wan is left to his thoughts. He misses Anakin and his other friends, the silence sometimes unnerving.  
He risks one last glance at the sleeping duo, before going to the cockpit. The sight in front of him makes his heart ache. He feels sad for what life has dragged them through and how they still can look so content.  
The boy cuddled up to Maul’s chest, big arms protectively around him. It’s clear that Maul feels affection and protectiveness towards Feral, though he refrains from being too open about the former. 

The nostalgia returns and the heart ache refuses to leave. Obi Wan tries to frantically stop these thoughts and feelings and runs off. In the cockpit he feels calmer, more confident. He can do this.

Much later, when Obi Wan had already finished his Sudoku book twice, tiny feet made their way towards him.  
Obi Wan waits curiously, until now he hadn’t really interacted with Feral.

The little zabrak walks over the doorbrim on unsteady feet. He looks at Obi Wan with big uncertain eyes, but the Jedi also detects a determined little frown, making the small one look like a miniature Maul. Obi Wan stifles a snort at that thought, instead turning it into an inviting smile. 

Feral hesitates, but then he mumbles:

“Thank you for helping my father.”

The Jedi raises a brow. The child speaks a lot better than what he had expected. Feral averts his gaze shyly.

“He is important to me….”

Obi Wan’s gaze softens. Feral probably isn’t familiar with the word “love”, but he can’t blame him. Maul never uses such words, mostly speaking coldly and showing affection with his movements and actions. A mischievous spark lights in the Jedi’s eyes.

“Hey, Feral, right? Do you know what affection means? No? Well, it’s when you like something or someone a lot, when it’s important to you, you know?”

Feral nods. 

“Like how I like my favourite knife?”

“Kind of, yes. So then, when you feel a lot of affection, when it’s stronger than that, it’s called love. There are a lot of different kinds of love. You can love friends, you can love a lover and you can love your family.”, Obi Wan continues.

Feral squints a little confused with the whole concept but getting the hang of the message.

“So…...if my father is my family…and he is very important to me...does it mean I love him?”, he asks innocently.

The brunette grins and confirms enthusiastically.

“Yeah, if you like him a lot, he’s important to you, feels like home and makes you feel safe you love your father.”

Feral lights up and starts contemplating, seeing things differently with the new knowledge.  
Obi Wan is impressed at how smart and quick to learn the young zabrak is. A human child would have failed to understand it at that same age.

Suddenly Feral looks up at the Jedi and asks him with big curious eyes:

“Do you love someone?”

Obi Wan smiles warmly.

“Yes”, he replies,”I love my friends and my family. Though we do not have the same blood we are like family.”

The little zabrak perks up with interest.

“So kind of like me and father? Because he told me that he isn’t my real father, but still someone related to me. My real father is somewhere far, far away and isn’t coming back yet, so uh fa- Maul allowed me to practice on him calling him father.”, Feral rambles on.

Obi Wan’s mood drops. So that’s how it is. He had been wondering if what Maul had told him about Savage was a lie or not. He is surprised at what Maul had opted to tell Feral about Savage. It’s unusually considerate and thoughtful, just another testament how important Feral is to Maul. Thinking about it, the brunette registers startled that Feral is the last and only thing left of Maul’s family. 

“Hey Feral, when your father wakes up, tell him you love him. I'm sure he'll be happy to hear it.”

Feral considers it for a moment then nods eagerly making Obi Wan laugh softly.

As soon as Maul stirs and groans quietly, Feral rushes excitedly over to him. 

“Father”, he shrieks happily and jumps suddenly.

Maul catches him and grumbles at him to not jump like that, but Obi Wan still notices the way his mouth quirks towards a phantom smile and the tired amusement in his eyes.

“Father, father! I love you!”,Feral suddenly states dead serious.

Maul’s baffled expression is the last string and Obi Wan cracks up laughing loudly.

Maul glances at Obi Wan, violently laughing and at his boy’s serious and expectant face. Realisation dawns on him and he sends a death glare to Kenobi making him stop laughing instantly, before reluctantly patting Feral’s head, careful of the small horns. Feral understands the sentiment of that action and beams happily up at Maul. Said man observes the little zabrak amused, his eyes softening the way they only seem to do with Feral.

Obi Wan notices the familiar ache and suddenly it hits him. The colour drains from his face.

No. No. Heck no. No friggin’ way. 

There’s no way he’s developing feelings for his nemesis!

Right then Maul looks over at Obi Wan, his eyes still soft and Obi Wan knows he’s in deep trouble.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We are getting somewhere! But don't forget; it's slow burn so it might still take a little while.
> 
> Stay tuned :)


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter is from Maul's Pov!
> 
> Enjoy! :)

Maul doesn’t trust Kenobi. To be honest, he trusts no one, but really Feral and himself. He is suspicious of the Jedi’s seemingly spontaneous hospitality. Where is the catch? Surely he isn’t doing it out of the kindness towards his nemesis, because truly, how ironic and stupid would that be? No, Maul knows Kenobi is smarter than that, more cunning and strategic, there definitely is an ulterior motive.There has to be. And Maul will find out what it is.

In the past few days Maul had gotten more sleep than in his entire life, as far as he remembers. Sleep is a necessity, but he had been taught how to live and function properly as long as possible without it and with time started to see more than 4 hours of sleep at a time, as an unnecessary luxury. Usually he didn’t get more than two though, due to his frequent night terrors thanks to his old master. 

He shudders inwardly. After taking Feral under his wing he found out how truly sick his master is. Until he broke free from his master’s grasp he thought that punishment and torture were normal after failure. Sleep and freetime along with food were, after a certain amount that was way too small, a luxury he wasn’t allowed. After Savage’s arrival, Maul found out what was actually considered normal. Then as soon as he heard about his brother’s and his brothers’ mate’s accident he escaped completely from Sidious’ grasp and took Feral with him to raise him as his own.

The death of his brother hit harder than he truly wanted to admit. With time he had grown fond of his brother and started to enjoy having a family, however small it was with just him, Savage and after some time Savage’s lover and finally Feral. Now he’s nearly alone again, Feral the only thing keeping him from falling into a dark place he wishes to never see again.

He had been taken from his home as a small child, never able to experience family. Then Savage had found him and he had a brother. At first it was difficult for him to wrap his head around that. But surprised he realised that at some point he started to view the other zabrak as an equal instead of an apprentice, and later as a brother. When his nephew was born he had felt something like happiness, he believes. He isn’t entirely sure what it was, not being used to feelings like that but it was the closest to peace he had ever been. But just like that his peace and family were shattered, another temporary joy destroyed, just like always by none other than his vengeful master, seeking revenge for Maul “betraying” him.

His brother had been smiling, happy, beside his lover. It was supposed to be their honeymoon, said to be the happiest time of their lives. Maul aches. He had cried twice in his life, once as a child in front of Sidious, a mistake not repeated. The second time was when he held Feral in front of his parent’s graves. Truth be told it was only a single tear, a tear that symbolised all his grief, hurt, anger, pain and devastation.

Maul had tried to find a peaceful place to raise the small one, somewhere where he won’t experience anything Maul was forced to. He had been beside himself, couldn’t concentrate, lost at a time his connection to the force, but regained it luckily. Feral was the only good thing in his life and he took his upbringing and safety very seriously. 

Along the way he had met Kenobi a few times. At first he was truly annoyed, because how on earth does one meet their nemesis that often coincidentally? Now though, now he is thankful. Had it not been for the man, he and Feral would both have been no more. Maul had injured himself previously trying to hunt in a starved and exhausted state which led to slow reflexes and the embarrassing wound on his chest, but no one needs to know that.  
Kenobi had rescued him and by doing that saved Feral’s life and for that Maul is eternally grateful. But Maul still doesn’t completely trust him, possibly never will, because he had to learn the hard way and won’t make the same mistake twice.

The zabrak feels Feral stir on his chest, mumbling something to himself and curling further into Maul’s chest. The feeling that Maul finally identified as a form of fondness spreads through his chest and he wills all the memories and thoughts away, trying to catch as much sleep as possible. You never know when you’ll have another opportunity like this.

Someone is observing him. That’s the first thought he has, after waking up. He doesn’t make any movements to betray his awake state and waits instead. What is Kenobi doing? He waits some more. After 10 minutes he can’t take it any longer and opens his eyes abruptly immediately locking them with the Jedi’s.  
Obi Wan’s eyes widen in shock and he turns his head away, a soft pink dusting his cheeks. Maul is confused. He checks on Feral and sees that the boy is deeply asleep.

“What are you trying to achieve?”, Maul whispers with a threatening edge.

“I have no idea what you are talking about.”, Kenobi answers with mock innocence.

Maul’s temper flares in annoyance, but he remains mindful of Feral.

“Quit the lies!”, he hisses angrily.

Obi Wan is quick to retort: “Says a Sith who are notorious for their lies!”

The zabrak’s eyes narrow. Who does the Jedi think he is? Maul has prided himself on being a man of his word, never telling any real lies. Being lumped together with Sidious activates a feeling buried and locked away carefully somewhere in the depths of his mind.

“You just keep confirming how little you actually know about me and about the Sith. Stop embarrassing yourself! I am no Sith any longer.”, he growls pained.

Obi Wan’s brow quirks and he looks surprised.

“No longer a Sith, you say? How and when did that happen?”, he asks with obvious disbelief and scepticism.

The yellow eyed man ponders for a bit on the pros and cons of revealing the truth to the Jedi, and decides that he doesn’t have anything to hide, not anymore.  
“I walked away from the Sith, from my master, after he killed Savage and his lover for revenge.”, Maul answers quietly.

Regret manifests in Obi Wan’s eyes. Maul hates it. He absolutely hates being pitied.

“Don’t. Don’t pity me, I neither want nor need it. You keep asking the wrong questions, my nemesis”, he adds quietly.

“Uhm, I- I apologize.”, Obi Wan mutters. He then straightens himself up and leaves the dark room.

Maul is once again confused. Doesn’t Kenobi wish to obtain information? If he is, then what is up with that stricken look?

Maybe he was just really curious in that Jedi way. 

Now Maul feels slightly bad for being so offensive and assuming.

Feral moves again, this time waking up. He blinks up at Maul who squints back and immediately a smile appears on Feral’s tiny face and he beams up at Maul.  
The familiar guilt and ache come back every time he sees how similar Feral is to Savage. He pushes the thoughts away and instead regards the child softly.

“G’morning, father”, Feral mumbles grinning.

“Good morning, boy.”, Maul answers. “Time to get up.”

Feral groans, but is quick to jump out of the bed and run out of the room. Maul waits for a moment. Then he carefully sits up and tries standing on unsteady legs. His head hurts and his vision swims. He leans on the wall and takes a step, ignoring all the warnings his body is sending him. He makes it to the hallway, where he silently slides down and rests his head against said wall. It takes quiet the effort he realises dismayed and tries to get his breathing under control.

He spots Feral talking animatedly to Obi Wan and said man nodding smiling along to Feral’s story. Obi Wan then puts a hand on the boy's shoulder, explaining what the controls in the ship do and Feral beams up at him and listens interested. Maul feels a twinge. It’s domestic, just how it should have been between Savage and Feral. It’s a peaceful sight and Maul thinks of a family. Suddenly Kenobi lifts his head, hesitates, then heads in Maul’s direction.

His footsteps come closer and Maul groans inwardly. Dammit.

“Maul! What on earth do you think you are doing?”, Obi Wan scolds.

“Obtaining my freedom”, Maul answers sarcastically.

Kenobi huffs and to Maul’s horror leans down and attempts to carry him like a damsel in distress. With all his might Maul protests.

“Don’t you dare! Kenobi I am warning you! I swear to the force!”

“Fine, then get yourself back to the bed!”, Obi Wan exclaims exasperatedly.

“I-”, Maul hesitates.

“Thought so!”, Obi Wan answers triumphantly. 

Maul glares at him but accepts Obi Wan’s help as soon as he knows that he won’t attempt to carry him. Obi Wan helps him carefully onto the bed but instead of leaving Maul to himself he lingers.

Maul sighs. “Thank you, Kenobi. I am fine on my own from here on.”

“Yes, I am aware. I just worry that you’ll do a rash thing and possibly jostle your wound.”

“So? What are you trying to say?”

“I deem it safer for me to stay a little and make sure that you’ll be fine.”, Obi Wan blurts out suddenly.

Maul’s eyes widen. Is he saying he’s worried? What a weird man. A smile tugs on Maul’s lips.

“Do as you wish. I can’t stop you anyway.”

Obi Wan sighs relieved and directs a small smile towards Maul.

Before Maul once again falls asleep he can feel the feared happiness stir along with a new form of fondness.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> what do you think of the story?
> 
> stay tuned :)


	6. Chapter 6

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Here's a new chapter.  
> It gets a little....conflicting.  
> Don't worry I'm planning to resolve everything next chapter, maybe with some romance ;)
> 
> Enjoy

Maul heals slowly but steadily, the exhaustion and malnutrition making themselves evident.

After he is stable enough to walk on his own, they rent a small apartment on this planet, their argument that this is one of the most peaceful planets known of. Going back to Coruscant is not a possibility. Even though Maul has not been on the scene in a while, he still had done unforgivable things, no doubt enough to place him in a specialised prison made to inhabit strong force wielders. Thus he would be cut off from Feral and Obi Wan doesn’t have the heart to do that to either of them. Even after everything Maul had done, he seemed to be a decent father figure and Obi Wan is conflicted.

Maul is a ruthless murderer, former crime lord and Sith. But it appears as if he has changed, if only a little, most likely because of the recent loss and responsibility. Maybe his new situation, as well as the hard betrayal of his former master made him reevaluate everything. Maybe there is a chance that Maul will abandon his methods and start anew. Maybe he will let himself experience the joys of life. Happiness, peace...love. Love. Maul in love. Maul loving someone other than Feral. A lover. Maul holding someone, kissing someone. Kissing Ob…..aaaand Obi Wan interrupts his train of thought before he starts treading on dangerous ground.

He informs the council that he decides to stay a while, requesting a small regeneration time. The council happily agrees, relieved that the general finally decided to rest a bit.

As Maul gets stronger, the small odd group settles into a routine. Every morning Obi Wan comes in and helps Maul change the bandages. Feral, a young, lively child is usually already awake, a ball of energy from the moment he opens his eyes. Though to Obi Wan’s luck he’s, just as Maul, usually speaking softly. Of course sometimes when he can’t contain his excitement he’ll start yelling with wonder, when he sees an animal he doesn’t know, a taste or smell he had never experienced before.

It is a nice change with Maul never uttering more than absolutely necessary. Obi Wan can’t remember ever hearing Maul raise his voice to a yell or scream. On the other hand, he never needs to, naturally demanding attention with his intimidating appearance and overall air of power, as well as the nearly constant cold, murderous edge in his calculating eyes. A frightening and respect inducing sight.

After Maul is dressed they go over to the kitchen where Obi Wan throws a meal together. He is good at cooking, more often than not resorting to it in his freetime on Coruscant. Here he has time, until Maul is fully healed, to get creative,the zabrak’s subject to his innovative meals. He has to watch them closely everytime. Maul's expressions and body language betray near to nothing, so Obi Wan makes it his personal mission to decipher what he prefers and what he dislikes. Feral is easier to read and expresses his opinions vocally. 

When the meal is done they resort to different occupations. Maul and Obi Wan alternate to go into the city and get necessities. Maul seldom goes though, his looks are too memorable, making it easy to recognize him and the zabrak is nothing if not cautious. Instead Maul often sits down with Feral and teaches him systematically basic knowledge, reading, writing, calculating and Obi Wan suspects something about the force. The boy is growing stronger by the day, but the Jedi hasn’t so far seen anything else proving it. 

Today though Maul informs Obi Wan briefly that he is going to take a stroll, most likely scanning the perimeter and making sure that everything is safe enough. He grabs his black cloak, lightsaber, he really is paranoid now, and disappears out of the door.

Feral scurries away into the living room a colouring book and crayons in his hands. Recently Feral had discovered the joy of creation in the form of art. He could sit for hours and doodle something patiently. It was as good as one could expect of a toddler. To Obi Wan’s surprise Maul supported it, muttering something about passion to himself. 

He sighs and strolls back to the kitchen checking how much food they have left. With another sigh he realises that a trip to the market is quite overdue. He grabs his brown cloak, shrugging it on as he searches for his lightsaber. Better safe than sorry. When he’s all set, he pokes his head into the living room and notifies Feral of his short departure. The boy only nods in acknowledgment, preoccupied with his newest artwork.

Obi Wan strolls through the streets with the needed items in a bag dangling from his hand. It’s early afternoon and the streets are lively, cheerful. He likes the positive mindset of this planet’s society, making him often forget that there’s a war tormenting the galaxies. Children run past laughing and yelling, playing a game only known to them. He smiles softly to himself, thinking of the old days and remembering the younglings at the temple who often play like that. 

After walking some more he notices the many couples of all ages walking around. Some holding hands, others with their arms around each other, some completely modest but the affection in their expressions giving them away as lovers. Obi Wan feels the now annoyingly familiar spark of longing and a little envy. He envisions himself with a lover of his own. If his vision includes a red, passionate zabrak with black tattoos, he decides to ignore it for now. But as his thoughts drift further it becomes difficult for the Jedi to deny the identity and after a short battle he gives up. 

He is attracted to Maul. Maybe even more than that.

A sudden commotion tears him away from his thoughts. A crowd starts to gather around something. He can hear someone yelling angrily and another answering challengingly. Obi Wan makes his way over there quickly. He pushes his way to the front.

At first he thinks that two locals are yelling at each other, but then he sees the silent figure standing between the screaming men. The crowd has formed a large circle. On one side a man in his twenties, Obi Wan guesses, yells angrily swinging a knife around with skilled hands. On the other side a middle aged man screams menacingly but seems otherwise unarmed. They are both directing their voices to the man standing in the middle. Even though he is cloaked and tries to make himself look inferior, Obi Wan knows that it’s Maul.

He can’t quite make out what they are saying. Suddenly the mood changes. It’s only a slight shift, but it immediately feels colder. He shivers involuntarily. It’s completely quiet now. Everyone is unnerved by the sudden chill that Obi Wan recognises as the feel of the dark side. In the next moment screams fill the silence. The two enraged men are dangling above the ground grasping desperately at their throats gasping for air. Maul is breathing heavily as he force chokes both of them lightly. A tiny taste of his strength, but enough to overpower them. Maul is getting more and more agitated by the second, till suddenly the men still and he drops them to the ground.

They lay unmoving and Obi Wan feels a surge of rage. He stomps towards him, the people clearing a path, escaping hurriedly.

“What in the world do you think you are doing??!” He yells furiously.

Maul looks at him, a pained look in his eyes, still breathing heavily but Obi Wan fails to take notice blinded by his emotions. Instead he continues yelling.

“I knew it! I fucking knew it! You haven’t changed at all! Damned Sith!” 

He gasps. “Don’t tell me you are grooming Feral to be your new apprentice!”he rants on, hurt and betrayed.

He is so immersed in his rant that he doesn’t notice how Maul’s expression changes from a little hurt, to desperate and finally his face hardens with resignation, anger and hurt.

Obi Wan finally stops his stream of words and looks at Maul disappointed.

“I thought you were better than that. I... I should go. I don’t want you to return to Feral.”

Anger roars up in Maul’s eyes.

“He is my family! You can’t take him away from me!”

“I can and I will. You can’t be trusted. If I have to I will involve the authorities.”

Maul looks at him in furious disbelief. But the Jedi just turns around and walks away, his heart breaking with every step. He had hoped too much, expected the impossible. 

“You will regret this, Obi Wan!”, Maul yells fuming.

Obi Wan notices that it’s the first time he hears him yelling and continues his way back to Feral, his feelings in uproar - the blooming love and the betrayal battling incessantly.

Maul watches Obi Wan’s retreating form. He stretches a hand out, opens his mouth, but nothing comes out. His hand falls back to his side. Behind him the two men start regaining their consciousness, groaning.

The anger flares once again up and he hurries away not wanting to subject himself to his rage and possibly end the two.

They had known who he was. Were in some group that he defeated. Held a grudge. Had taunted him. It had been fine, he could ignore that. But then they started mocking Savage and his death. That he could not ignore. Enraged he had choked them but managed to get a grip on himself in time, resulting in them only being unconscious. 

Then Obi Wan appeared, siding with them and saying hurtful things. Taking Feral from him.

Maul walks slowly towards a cheap motel he had seen a few miles further.

He is hurt that it only took that little for Obi Wan to jump to conclusions. Maul hadn’t killed anyone. But the Jedi didn’t even give him time to explain himself, already assuming all kinds of wrong things. And then he took Feral away from him. If he involves the authorities it’s completely over for Maul. He has no choice but to do as the Jedi says at the moment.

Feral is his everything. Without Feral he has nothing. No family. No purpose. Nothing to keep him from spiraling.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The story has taken a turn I didn't expect but oh well. Might as well go with it.  
> The romance comes hopefully next chapter.  
> It's slow burn, remember? :P
> 
> Stay tuned :)

**Author's Note:**

> To be continued ;)


End file.
